Race is the cutest and best bartender! She had our drinks ready in seconds and food to follow promptly. She is nothing short of incredible and the kind of bartender you hope for. We love her! read more

Back again! Really enjoy the food, service & people. Got the Ramen, sushi, sake, beer tempura. Our server Klara is wonderful. The only drawback is the volume, the acoustics reverberate throughout the dining room. read more

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Zu Sushi was a great experience overall. The ambiance was a 10/10, the service was a 10/10, and the speed was also a 10/10. Everything came out quickly, and the staff was friendly and attentive. The food was good and makes this a solid spot for a quick lunch. My only suggestion would be to add a little more value to the lunch specials. Since the rolls are on the smaller side, it would be nice if the lunch roll specials included miso soup, salad, and a couple pieces of tempura, similar to what comes with the bento boxes. That would make the deal feel more complete and competitive. Also the pork dumplings are amazing! Other than food for value, no complaints. If you're looking for a fast, pleasant lunch spot with great service and atmosphere, Zu Sushi is definitely worth a visit. read more

We came into Zu Izakaya to try their happy hour offerings after visiting the new smaller-format IKEA location in Phoenix. With happy hour pricing, we were able to order and try a decent selection of food for two of us. We ordered their karaage skewer, salmon nigiri, spicy yellowtail roll, Vegas roll, Alaska roll, and miso soup, all of which were on their happy hour menu totaling less than $45 with tax and tip. Portion wise, everything felt like a great deal, with our nigiri costing less than $4 for two pieces, and all rolls being between $6-$9. In terms of quality, the fish on our salmon nigiri seemed to be just slightly mushy texture-wise. We didn't deal with any suspicious fishy aroma or taste, but the texture made it feel like it wasn't the highest quality. The fish in our rolls however, was solid for the price point. However, we noticed consistently with all of the sushi that their sushi rice was quite overcooked and mushy as well. This made the nigiri in particular a bit of an unenjoyable experience as well texturally. Despite these faults, we enjoyed our meal and for the price, definitely felt satisfied. Our server, whose name I didn't catch, was also very kind and attentive. All things considered, I'm surprised they were as empty as they were. And for inexpensive sushi in the Phx area, we thought it's definitely worth the visit. read more

Zu Izakaya - Salmon Nigiri, Alaskan Roll, Spicy Hamachi Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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As a regular here, I am bit disappointed at the inconsistencies with the grilled meats, some days it's correctly sliced against the grain, other days wrong in cutting with the grain. Today the grilled teriyaki style chicken was hard as in reheated older pre cooked chicken . As a trained chef this was easy to figure out. I only mentioned it to the server at the end of the meal. Still paid and as always I take care of servers being one myself for many years past and I am a 40% tipper. To whomever is managing the kitchen, focus on consistency with fresh cooked, Say NO to short cuts... read more

Zu Izakaya - Bulgogi Bento - Sushi Bars Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

I came for a reservation on 3/21/26 at 4:30 pm. Although the servers are busy, they handle you with care and speedy service. I like that their tables are well spaced out and is a perfect setting to catch up with friends and not feel overwhelmed. Happy hour is a delight here! I love that there's so many different options to choose from so if you have a big party, there's anything from tempura, bowls, soup, and sushi available. Their portions are shareable sizes and I was with a party of 8. Ordered: BUTTER CORN - Tastes more corn-y than buttery with cheese that feels dried off. Not the most impressive corn cheese but it was still decent. SALMON CARPACCIO - Ponzu with a bite of fresh salmon, I will be ordering this again next time. SALMON ROLL - Delicious as expected :) Just a plain roll with raw salmon in it. My only note is that I tipped a larger amount unintentionally because my server didn't mention that my split receipt already had gratuity added due to our large party. Not a big deal, but would be nice to know before paying :) read more

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The service here is very slow, the staff was friendly but it was super slow. It took a while to get our appetizers and they came at the same time as the sushi. We didn't get any refills on our waters and our waitresses kept passing. Didn't ask if there was anything else we needed. The restaurant is not super big but they do have some tables to accommodate a larger party. The food was good. Definitely worth a try but expect to wait, one couple walked out because of how long someone was taking to come and take their order. read more

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My boyfriend and I went here for sushi and had a 10/10 experience, per usual. This is our go to sushi spot - for great reason! They have multiple time slots for happy hour on Thursday, we just timed it wrong to not be within it this time but love the 8:30-close happy hour specials. Our server was really attentive and kind. We got our miso soup and sushi rolls really quick and had no problems with water being refilled. We also loved our Las Vegas roll (not pictured) as it was fried but not too much where it wasn't still fresh tasting. The staff here is always so great! I love this restaurant because there's two sides of it split up by the sushi bar and feels really cozy. I've usually seen families everytime we've gone so they have plenty of seating depending on your group size and vibe. This will continue to be our go to sushi date spot for sure. read more

Zu Izakaya - Inside - Sushi Bars Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

My favorite sushi and oyster spot. Race is amazing. Fish is fresh. Manager is great. I've tried everything.

The service was excellent -- our waitress was friendly, attentive, and really great throughout the meal. Unfortunately, the food didn't live up to expectations. My fiancé and I are big ramen fans, and we both felt the ramen tasted similar to instant ramen. The broth was bland, the noodles weren't great, and the pork in the ramen was a small piece that was unseasoned and overcooked. Even the egg in the ramen was way over cooked. The rice noodles in the gyoza hot pot also had a slimy texture. I usually order a spicy tuna roll as a safe option, but this one didn't taste fresh and was overly spicy to the point where it overpowered everything else. It was also a red flag seeing staff walk through the restaurant carrying a large plastic bag full of frozen food being brought to the kitchen. Overall, the service was wonderful, but the food quality didn't match what we were hoping for. read more

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If I could give 0 stars, I absolutely would. I drove a long way because I genuinely used to love this place and have supported this location since it first opened. Unfortunately, today's experience was extremely disappointing. When my friend and I arrived, there was no one at the front to greet us. We walked over to the bar and sat down, which I've done before at this location. There were three staff members working, and every one of them saw us. One was busy chatting with another customer, one looked directly at us and walked away, and another poured a beer for a customer and then walked away. Not a single employee greeted us, acknowledged us, or asked if we needed anything. We sat there waiting for over 15 minutes, completely ignored. After waiting that long with no service at all, we got up and left. As a loyal customer who has supported this restaurant from the beginning, this was incredibly disappointing. It wasn't busy enough to justify completely ignoring new customers. I will never be coming back, and I can't recommend this location to anyone. Customer service like this is unacceptable. read more

I've lived just 10 minutes away for years and can't believe it took me this long to try this place! The sushi was fresh, flavorful, and reasonably priced. Everything we ordered was delicious, and the service really made the experience even better. Race was our server and was absolutely amazing--friendly, attentive, and gave great recommendations. We'll definitely be back soon. Highly recommend! read more

My friend and I have been coming here regularly for lunch since June 2024. Absolutely hands down one of our favorite everyday go-to Sushi restaurants. Service and Food have always been consistent. Fish is always fresh. The menu is extensive, something for everyone. My friend and I are really creatures of habit and order the same items when we dine there, though I've had their Spicy Kimchi Hot Pot minus the Spam... it was delicious. Atmosphere: nice, typical Japanese restaurant look. Service: excellent. Food: excellent. read more

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Great spot in Tempe! They have happy hour every day from 4 to 7 and late night happy hour every day except Sunday. Lots of choices on the happy hour menu. I tried the tempura green tea. Cheesecake. It was good, but not amazing. Elisa was the bartender and she was great! The bar area is separate and they have an outside area too. read more

Zu Izakaya - Las Vegas roll California roll Spicy tuna Spicy salmon - Sushi Bars Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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Truly amazing experience. The omakase was expensive but you will leave full and happy. The only thing stopping me from going more often is cost but otherwise great option! read more

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Diamond in the rough. Atmosphere is so lovely, staff is great. Their happy hour is unbeatable! Hours are ~slightly~ strange during happy hour, but I'll break it down: Happy Hour is (4pm-6pm), stops, then re-starts from 8:30pm-Close. Sushi is $3-$4 a roll, same with appetizers. Beer,wine,soju is half off too. Sushi quality makes me feel like i'm at Nobu. I love their sashimi, super fresh and tasty, and always served beautifully on a bed of daigon and bamboo. Me and my husband adore this place. They also let me get like 3 misos in 1 (basically a giant bowl of miso soup) read more

I have never written a single review in my life until now. I am a loyal customer who has visited this restaurant many times across two different locations, but our experience last night was unacceptable. We sat at the bar for 15 minutes, and the bartender completely ignored us just to stand and chat with their friends at another table. No other staff members bothered to check on us either. In the end, we had to get up and leave without being served. It takes a lot to make me write a negative review, but this blatant lack of respect was the final straw. read more

This has become a great sushi favourite spot for the selection, service and top notch consistency of high quality. Service has always been quick (not rushed) and servers have always answered questions and made options and choices easy to make. The menu is extensive, the prices not expensive. The biggest draw for Zu Iz, is their sushi customization menu. I don't eat fake crab which is in most rolls everywhere. For Zu Iz, no issue, they have a very affordable and creative upgrade substitution menu. So want a great spider Roll, but made with Snow crab and not fake crab, sure. Want a rainbow roll with something else like Tuna? Sure. But two big favourite highlights for me would be the Chefs Omakase Tuna Roll, each visit is a spectacular array of individual masterpieces. In the cooler weather, the best hot pots around and the biggest bowl serving. Check out my pics. read more

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Excellent food. Always. Sushi price specials at lunch and 3-6 pm happy hour. You won't be disappointed.

Excellent! From the hostess through the meal I couldn't find anything that didn't impress me here. Service was very good. Had plenty of time to peruse the extensive menu. If you're not a sushi lover don't worry, there are plenty of other options. Their menu is on their website. The sushi, ahhh the sushi. Fresh, well presented, and delicious. Not sure what else to say. Prices are more than reasonable (especially during early happy hour). read more

Service was attentive. Food just fair. Definitely better sushi options in the Valley. Mine tasted like they were prepared early in the day just waiting for an order! Rice was dry and fish not swimmingly fresh. Not a good sushi combo... Please try better. Your customers notice.. read more

Race was our server tonight--what a star of the place, Quick with a smile and effortless grace. From sashimi to spicy rolls stacked in a case, She guided us through it at just the right pace. Our waters stayed full, our plates cleared with ease, She nailed every detail and aimed just to please. Friendly and sharp with a welcoming face, Top-tier service delivered by Race. If sushi's your craving and you want first place, Make sure when you go that you ask for Race. read more

Zu Izakaya - Sushi Bars Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

I ordered from Zu Izakaya through DoorDash and overall had a decent experience but the Kkanpungi was underwhelming. The kkanpungi I ordered was somewhat different from the original kkanpungi in Korea. It didn't capture the flavors I was expecting. The side curry dish was good and enjoyable. I would still return in the future to try other items on the menu. read more

One of the best things about this sushi restaurant is their side menu. For example, I am not a fan of crab mix with imitation crab but for $4, on the Side menu, Zu Izakaya will make the crab mix with snow crab...totally worth it to me. The prices are very low and the menu has a wide selection to choose from. They also offer both an early and late happy hour menu. The sushi did not disappoint. All very fresh and very good@ read more

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Happy Hour is great. The service was fast and attentive. My son wanted sushi and this was 5 mins from the hotel.

So glad we finally tried this place. We went on a Monday and it was still very busy! We had excellent service, the food was delicious, the restaurant was clean, and the prices were very fair. We arrived a few minutes before happy hour was ending, and we didn't even realize it but our server told us and we were able to try several things off the happy hour menu! The spam musubi and squid salad were delicious. We also tried to vegetable tempura, which I loved, the bulgogi, and the baked scallop roll. It was all great. I like that they have an extensive menu or both sushi and non a sushi items, as my boyfriend loves sushi but it's not my favorite. We can both be very happy at Zu Izakaya! read more

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Hooray a new location! I'm a sushi lover and a big fan of the original place on Scottsdale Rd. Glad this one opened bc it's way bigger and has more parking--yay for shorter wait times even on Fridays (the other location can get up to an hour wait). Happy hour is from 4-6pm and 8:30pm-close and they have $2.50 oysters and plenty of discounted apps, nigiri, and mostly basic rolls. I typically order their gyoza, agedashi tofu, and salmon crunch roll off the HH menu. On the main menu, I like the jalapeño hamachi roll and really any of the specialty rolls and sashimi. For apps, we ordered gyoza, miso soup, chicken karaage skewer, and half a dozen Hammersley oysters. Gyoza is always crispy. The oysters were surprisingly good and tasted fresh (none of that old fishy taste). Was not a big fan of the chicken karaage--the breading was not satisfying and I prefer the way they do it at the original location. For entrees, we got the unagi tamago bowl, jalapeño hamachi roll, and chef's omakase roll. All solid choices and we finished everything. The unagi was yummy and comes with a good amount. Omakase roll is great if you want to try a little of everything fish-wise--my dad liked the mackerel and their fresh wasabi. Jalapeño hamachi roll had a little too much ponzu sauce for me, but otherwise still tasty. The bill came out to about $75 for three people (4 HH apps + 3 entrees). Overall good experience. read more

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Great food! We got the ramen and it was delicious despite some of he negative reviews I saw before ordering. Very flavorful and filling. Great place and will come back! read more

Absolutely delicious. Loved everything we had. The oysters were phenomenal and also got the bulgogi hot pot. Service was pretty good, didn't get seen much but I think there was only one server on so no big deal. Fun atmosphere. They have a bar on one side that I'm sure would've been a good area to be in. read more

Zu Izakaya - LAS VEGAS ROLL, seared tuna - Sushi Bars Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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We came for dinner during happy hour and ordered the Alaska roll, California roll, Philadelphia roll, salmon nigiri, yellowtail nigiri, pork gyozas, and house salad. Everything was good and came fast. The fish tasted fresh and we were happy with each item. The happy hour menu is limited but enough for us. Their regular menu looks extensive with very good selection. Our server was very friendly and attentive. The place was casual with good seating. We came on a Monday evening and were seated right away. Nice place, conveniently located in a small mall near our hotel. Ample parking. read more

EXPENSIVE. They have lost it. This used to be affordable. Now you can't even get a beer and edimame for less them $15. Want a skewer? $5/ea Just rediculous. Get it together. It's chicken on a stick. read more

We found Zu Izakaya on Yelp. What a great find. We live in Northern Ca, and feel this sushi rest. Is as delicious as some of the best places there. The menu is extensive! And if you don't find what you like, they will make it to your liking. We had poke, a roll, tempura, spices edamame, and chicken Katsu. All so delicious. Our waitress Claira was so attentive, knowledgeable, and friendly. The dining room has different seating areas to choose from. We will definitely return next time we are in Arizona. read more

Zu Izakaya - Vegetable Tempura. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

The service was lovely, friendly and prompt. Unfortunately the food was almost inedible. The rice was sour and their teriyaki sauce was bitter. The restaurant was clean and newly redone. Maybe I went on a bad day? read more

The best bento lunch special enough to take home for later so good. Price is great for all the food you get!! Service is great ambience is good. Lunch special ends at 3:00. read more

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First time there and we will definitely be back. The staff was extremely friendly and they had lots of options on the menu. The chef's choices were on point and the lunch options were really intriguing so I'd like to come back during lunch one day also. The sushi was fresh and the sashimi was cut thicker than other places which was a nice treat. Definitely going to visit them again! read more

A friend and I decided to try somewhere new for dinner. This place is ok. The server greeted me quickly at the table and brought waters and then took my drink order. When my friend came the server was quick for her drink order as well. The rest of the service was only ok. Once our food order was taken and brought out the server never came back to see if we needed more drinks or water. The food was average. I had the salmon sashimi and my friend had the salmon nigiri, the salmon didn't seem fresh and a little on the warmer side. The baked scallop roll was good. The sushi rolls are basics and you are charged for each ingredient you want on added to a roll. read more

Zu Izakaya - SALMON ROLL with avocado and SALMON(SAKE) NIGIRI - Sushi Bars Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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Swung by on a Thursday at noon. Not busy at all so I snagged a seat at the bar. Quick glance at the menu and my order was taken right away. The Moon Stone and Black Magic Oysters were shucked, cleaned well, and obviously fresh. Agedashi tofu was nicely crisp with a good broth. My favorites were the seared salmon and tuna, hotate, and uni. Seared items were delicious with a nice heat to them. Scallops and uni were just divine. Complimentary cucumber salad and oranges were a nice treat as well. Felt prices were definitely reasonable and the service was top notch. read more

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Zu Izakaya Spider Roll with ginger and wasubi was a very nice beginning to our meal, nice soft shell Crab and just good eating. Gyozas served in a basket with dipping sauce were very good, nice and Crispy served with a nice dipping sauce. Get'em! Galbi with onions, zucchini and mushrooms served on a skillet with Korean style sweet soy sauce. Galbi meat was on the tough side with a bit too much Korean sweet soy sauce. Almost had to scrape some off. Loved the onions, zucchini and mushrooms on the skillet Service was very good and there is plenty of parking where this location was the old "Shogun" Next time we will expand and try a few other entrees. read more

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We had previously visited their Tempe location and were thrilled to see that they had opened a new one. It was easy to reserve a table for our 8-person group online. We were there to celebrate a friend's birthday and were stoked to find out about their daily Happy Hour from 3 pm to 6 pm. We took advantage of that! The staff was very friendly and even helped us stash the birthday cake we brought in their fridge. We tried all three types of raw oysters they had, and the Riptide was our fave. While none of the other dishes blew our minds, everything was pretty tasty. The ramen was decent, but the noodles were a bit mushy and the broth was lacking. Zu Izakaya's menu is a mix of Japanese, Korean, ramen, and skewers to choose from. The place has a modern Japanese vibe that is cool and spacious. The only downside was the shared restrooms for both men and women - separate ones would be a nice touch. Special thanks to Zu Izakaya for the complimentary mochi ice cream for the birthday girl. read more

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Decided to try out this spot last night and I was blown away! Food was absolutely amazing and great quality. Service was quick and great. And located in a big plaza and very nice ambiance read more